“ On the Verge “ ...

” On the Verge “

by Suzán Jiván
Mom & Mom-
Mom Suzán

On the verge
of, “ All the nerve!”
thinking the worst
feeling,  “ unworthy “

soundly telling those sheep
to, “ Stop bleating!
Can’t you see
we’re trying to sleep!”

with lipsyncked abandon
empoweringly caroling
chanting, “ Furors of sharing:
right call—wrong plan! “

like belly bands
for a stout weatherman
once having had big setbacks

yet still being kept under wraps
as forecasts for autonomous taxi cabs
that map negated “net neutrality”

vowing, “ Anybody can!
via fast-lane access
to outlandish gobs of cash! “...

“ Raw “...

” Raw “

by Suzán Jiván
Mom & Mom-
Mom Suzán

Raw
experiences
sputtering
sensitivities
seemingly
troubling
final seasons

meaning nothing
teasing badgering
hitting high C’s
inexplicably
triple billed

not given
to self-scrutiny
speaking dryly
not worth dying

busily
embellishing
getting better
post-depression
self-expression
crushed velvet

strings of ponies
high-wire feats
unequivocally
thrilling intimacies
of single rings
witnessing circling
fads and fancies...

Yielding...

” Yielding “

by Suzán Jiván
Mom & Mom-
Mom Suzán

Yielding to outcries
in fear of reprisal
with campaigns at stake
to advisor ties
for middle-class aspirers

trying to embrace the polarized
while testing glaring stage lights
deemed undecidedly precise
like divisive higher prices
combined with strife
via news sites and hefty fines
for “yes” men quick with their pens

the biggest yet greeted with protests
declared as “nonsense—without merit”
and “totally out of the question”
by never-ending distressors
suppressing their successors

being thrust up against
predatory presidents
supposedly motioning
steady-as-she-goes
reform proposals
left out-in-the-cold
having gotten culled
as un-vulgar misnomers...

" A GIANT "...

" A GIANT "

by Suzán Jiván Mom & Mom-Mom Suzán

A GIANT STRIKES
unleashed from the rear bays
of a cargo plane formally named
" MASSIVE ORDINANCE AIR BLAST"
with no casualty totals noted
" LOOK OUT BELOW! " battle over
on publically owned roll backs
of newly taxable land tracks

unexpectedly shocking and saddening
killing the plan plumes of gas
over a source of embarrassment
having learned from tragedy
while speaking loudly at charities
on necrotic landfills

bodies floating fully clothed very close
to vanishing leftovers coming into even sharper focus
quixotic new homes if only for the moment
yet seemingly irrevocable given creaky conventions
and indefinite quirkinesses due to dwindling missions
and fewer adoptions aiming to legalize pot over rooftop gardens

containing huge bodies of art bottoms up pretty much
monumental in between elephants' tusks
pointing right side up as outlandish sculptures
oddly enough made from expected muskets
of great great grandmothers complete with rumblings
funnily enough named "long-running foundational subjects"
being all lined up with s shrug...

" Celebrate "

" Celebrate "

by Suzán Jiván
Mom & Mom-
Mom Suzán

Celebrate
existence secreted
by a chambered nautilus
or the slow-growth rings
of a single larch tree
first a seedling shedding
needles into eternity
best achieved organically
still clinging vigorously
lingering with hesitancy
tethered to nests
on the cliff's edge
built time and again
heightened awareness
closer to understandings
forever shared...

" Gregarious "...

" Gregarious "

by Suzán Jiván
Mom & Mom-
Mom Suzán

Gregarious
found in open areas
attracted to dams
and parking lots
most in dark
breeding plumage

in large flocks
nesting in colonies
hollow barking qualities
uncommon tundra ponds

solitary methodical
bird watchers
facial markings
ages and stages

tremendous variation
locally on lakes clear grating
foraging for crustaceans

often seen singly swimming
rarely hovering pink to red legs
picking prey white nape...

" Far and Away "

" Far and Away "

by Suzán Jiván
Mom & Mom-
Mom Suzán

Far and away
in graceful taper
across glassine lakes
on freezing cold days

hurrying home
beating metronomes
fallen first snow
dervish moments
mats of gold

weather tattered
mourning trances
in moist air
on frosted glass

knights before last
glimpsed and glanced
across spreading branches
and fresh tracks

while lollygagging
under gradual understanding
real-time synapses...

" Fairly Silent "...

" Fairly Silent "

by Suzán Jiván 
Mom & Mom-
Mom Suzán 

Fairly silent
one-syllable 
one-note 

guttural 
winding up
early enough

fluting
and grunting 
messaged
instructions 

sending up puffs
as structure
for cunningness 

all from
a distance
along silvery
hummocks 
over months
and months

fissures
in mud
like clues
of summer 

remotely
untouched
backcountry 

seeking balance
from the tops
of dry grasses

spying black bears
white teeth flashing
old paths and habits
being re-examined...

" Light of the Moon "

" Light of the Moon "

by Suzán Jiván
Mom & Mom-
Mom Suzán

Light of the moon
filtering through
waxy green
holly-like leaves

shiny extra degrees
of August heat
dry windy
nighttime
imaginings
buffeted wildly

sparks flying
bonfire arson
dislodged
untended gardens

dropping
barometers
towering spars
failed rockets
in treetops

cracks
of thunder
thumping
rumbling
burning up

unencumbered
clear cutting
grubbing hoe
and shovel

rising sun
matted duff
sawn stumps
bomber runs

piling up
mercy and luck
twig and limb
detritus
high country...

" Where Ranges Overlap "...

" Where Ranges Overlap "

by Suzán Jiván 
Mom & Mom-
Mom Suzán

Where ranges overlap
as immature color patterns
V-shaped chin patches

raspy tidal flats
croaks and quacks
open grassy habitats

fresh or brackish
rolling clear chants
beaches mudflats 

songs varying
laughing chatter
bouncing rattles 

ringing whistles 
unbroken trills
flight call pitches

wandering tattlers 
larger paler
molt and wear...

" Hunched Over" ...

" Hunched Over"

 by Suzán Jiván
Mom & Mom-
Mom Suzán

Hunched over
motionless
dry winds blowing

Bohemian wax wings
chasing moths
stalling swooping

Goldfinch
profound
differences

first summonings
yellow green
seen and unseen

heat-expanding
random chaos
fluttering wings

all-consuming
continental tectonic
creep bending creeks

ravenous memory
compression release
spaces in between

voids sleeping
moisture and seep
shiny layers of glittering

browning wilting serenity
rustling clattering
sun glinting lace wings...

" Color Morphs "...

" Color Morphs "

by Suzán Jiván
Mom & Mom-
Mom Suzán

Color morphs
for northern waters
food sources
for shy albatrosses
black browed
yellow nosed

open oceans
being silent
over seas
immature dusky

white chinned
heavy billed
black capped
rare visitors

most similar
in light winds
usually obvious
like white-collared
un-commonness
limited dark
and solitary...

" Ragged "...

" Ragged "

by Suzán Jiván
Mom & Mom-
Mom Suzán

Ragged "V"
formations
downcurving
spatulate
foraging wading
tall slender legs

bill clattering
hissing
singly seizing
fish

pointed bills
secretive
wing beats
dense reeds

gulping
pounding
grassy
habitats

harshly
quacking
low
gravelly
more
patterned

featured
overlapping
foraging
habits

following
tractors
rare
aberrant

silence
elsewhere
long legs
trailing

taking off
and landing
raptors to scale
broad tail bands

white
floating
flight
Mississippi
Kite...